Toulon Holidays

A proper working port city on the French Riviera with secret sandy beaches, a cable car up a mountain, and a grand harbour (with delicious seafood to boot), Toulon is the south of France resort that everyone's still sleeping on.

Highlights of your Holidays to Toulon

• Mont Faron – Take the only cable car on the Mediterranean coast to the top of a 584-metre mountain. Panoramic views over the bay, walking trails through the pines, and the cabin has a glass floor so you can live out your Roald Dahl fantasies on your way up (or down).

• Plages du Mourillon – Four sheltered sandy bays, each with its own beach bar and lifeguard. Calm water, real sand, they're proper south of France beaches just with fewer crowds and better prices for an Aperol spritz.

• The harbour – The waterfront has a real working-port energy: fishing boats, ferries to Corsica, a daily fish market, and the best bouillabaisse on the coast (argue amongst yourselves, Marseille).

• Cours Lafayette market – A Provençal market that's been running for over a century. Sun-ripened tomatoes, local olives, goat's cheese, lavender bags, socca. Every morning except Monday.

• Musée National de la Marine – The national naval museum, right on the harbour. Ship models, figureheads, and 400 years of French maritime history (who doesn't love sitting on a big cannon for a photo?)

Good to Know

• ☀️ Weather – Toulon is one of the sunniest cities in France, with over 300 days of sunshine a year. Summers sit around 28-32°C with barely a cloud, spring and autumn are warm and mild (15-22°C), and even winter rarely drops below 8°C.

• 💶 Money – Toulon is noticeably cheaper than its Riviera neighbours. A sit-down lunch runs €12-€18, a glass of local rosé is €3-€5, and a coffee on the harbour is €2-€3.

• ⚓ Fun Fact – Toulon has been France's main Mediterranean naval port since Louis XIV. Napoleon got his start here too, making his name at the Siege of Toulon in 1793 when he was just 24. The harbour is still an active military base, and you can take boat tours around the fleet.

Beaches

It's unexpected but it's true. Toulon has proper beaches within the city limits. It's not just a port city, also a beach sport city!

Plages du Mourillon – The main event. Four sheltered sandy bays along the eastern waterfront, separated by rocky promontories, each with its own character. The first two are the busiest (lifeguards, beach bars, volleyball), the third and fourth are quieter. Calm, shallow water and proper sand rather than pebbles. Free to access.

Anse de Magaud – A small rocky cove east of Mourillon, popular with snorkellers and anyone who wants to escape the crowds. No facilities, just clear water and pine trees.

Les Sablettes – Across the bay in La Seyne-sur-Mer, reachable by water bus from the harbour. A long sandy beach with a promenade, restaurants and the Grand Hotel des Sablettes Plage for anyone who wants beach access from their doorstep.

🏨 What are the top hotels in Toulon?

See all hotels in Toulon or browse our top picks below..

💑 Couples

• Grand Hotel des Sablettes Plage, Curio Collection. The clear standout in Toulon's hotel set. A 4-star on Les Sablettes beach with direct beach access, private terraces with whirlpools, and a Spa by Nuxe with hammam, sauna and indoor/outdoor pools. If you want a proper beachfront hotel with some polish, this is the one.

• Grand Hotel Dauphine, Boutique & Suites. A boutique 3-star in the city centre with interiors designed by local craftsmen. Poolside snack bar and a more personal feel than the chain options. Solid guest reviews.

• Amiraute. Central 3-star with rainfall showerheads and an early-bird buffet breakfast from 5:30am, handy if you're catching a ferry or want first dibs at the market. Concierge service and a good base for exploring on foot.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families

• Hotel Mercure Hyeres Centre. Based in nearby Hyères rather than Toulon centre, but it has an outdoor pool on the terrace, a restaurant serving regional dishes, and a Provence wine bar. Good for families who want a quieter base with pool access.

• ibis Toulon la Valette. An ibis with an outdoor pool and terrace, in La Valette east of the centre. Over 640 reviews and a restaurant on site. The pool makes the difference for families with younger kids.

• ibis Toulon la Seyne. In La Seyne-sur-Mer, west of the centre, with a private pool and on-site restaurant. A solid budget-friendly family option with more space than the city-centre hotels.

🎉 Groups

• ibis Styles Toulon Centre Port. Right on the harbour, which makes it the most sociable location for groups. Game room, bike hire, and you're steps from the waterfront bars and restaurants. The ibis Styles brand includes breakfast in the rate, which simplifies group logistics.

• Amiraute. Central and well priced, with an early breakfast option that's useful for groups doing day trips or ferry crossings. Walking distance to the harbour and old town nightlife.

💰 Value

• B&B HOTEL Toulon Centre Gare. The budget pick, right by the train station. Buffet breakfast, microwave in the common area, and a 4.5/5 guest rating (though from a small number of reviews). No frills, but clean and well located for getting around.

👉 All hotels in Toulon

Local Lingo

English is spoken in the bigger hotels and tourist spots, but Toulon is more of a local city than a tourist one, so a few French phrases will go further here than in Nice or Cannes.

Bonjour, bon-ZHOOR, Hello / Good day

Merci, mair-SEE, Thank you

S'il vous plaît, seel voo PLEH, Please

L'addition, lah-dee-SYOHN, The bill

Santé, sahn-TAY, Cheers (for all that Provençal rosé)

Socca, SOCK-ah, A chickpea-flour pancake sold at markets and street stalls. Order one.

Travel Guide - Things to do on your holiday to Toulon

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families

• Mont Faron cable car and zoo – The cable car ride takes six minutes to the summit (584 metres) and the cabin has a glass floor panel. At the top, the Zoo Fauverie du Mont Faron has big cats and is the only wild cat breeding centre of its kind in Europe. Walking trails, picnic spots and a restaurant at the summit too.

• Plages du Mourillon – Four sandy bays with lifeguards, calm shallow water, and beach bars. The parkland behind the beaches has playgrounds and shaded walks. The third and fourth bays are quieter for smaller children.

• Boat trip around the harbour – Tours loop around the active naval base, passing aircraft carriers, frigates and submarines. Kids who are into ships will be mesmerised, and the commentary covers 400 years of naval history in an approachable way.

• Musée National de la Marine – Ship models, figureheads, naval cannons and interactive exhibits. Inside the old royal arsenal on the harbour. Free for under-26s on the first Sunday of the month.

💑 Couples

• Sunset from Mont Faron – The evening cable car runs in summer take you to the top for golden-hour views over the bay, the islands and the Provençal hinterland. Bring a bottle of rosé and find a bench.

• Old town wander – The streets around Place Puget have fountains, plane trees, tiny galleries and some of the best bistros in town. The Cours Lafayette market is the morning ritual, and the covered fish market on the harbour is worth the smell.

• Île de Porquerolles day trip – Ferries run from Toulon harbour to Porquerolles, the largest of the Îles d'Hyères. Car-free, with turquoise water, white sand beaches and vineyards. One of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean and a genuine highlight of the French Riviera.

• Wine tasting in Bandol – The Bandol wine region produces some of France's best rosé and the vineyards are 20 minutes west of Toulon. Several domaines welcome visitors for tastings.

🎉 Groups

• Beach day at Mourillon – Volleyball courts, watersports hire, beach bars and enough space across four bays to spread out. The kind of day where everyone does their own thing and regroups for drinks at sunset.

• Naval base boat tour – Even if nobody in the group is into military history, sailing past an aircraft carrier is objectively impressive. The tours run from the harbour and take about an hour.

• Bar crawl around the harbour – The waterfront terraces and the streets behind Place Victor Hugo have wine bars, craft beer spots and late-night brasseries. Toulon's nightlife is low-key compared to Nice or Cannes, but the prices are lower and the vibe is more relaxed.

• Île de Porquerolles group trip – Ferry over, hire bikes on the island, ride to a beach, swim, eat lunch at a harbourside restaurant, ferry back. A perfect group day out.

More Destinations

• France – Paris, Nice, the Côte d'Azur, Euro Disney, Bordeaux, Lyon and more. City breaks, beach weeks, and everything in between.

• Marseille – France's oldest city, a gritty Mediterranean port with world-class street art, the Calanques national park for turquoise coves, and a food scene that goes far deeper than bouillabaisse.

• Avignon – Medieval ramparts, the world's biggest Gothic palace, and the Festival d'Avignon in July which turns the entire city into one enormous stage. Inland Provence at its most theatrical.

• Montpellier – A buzzy university city with grand squares, a medieval old town, and some of the best street food in southern France. Younger, livelier and more modern than most Provençal cities.

• Toulouse – The "Pink City" with its terracotta architecture, cassoulet that'll ruin you for all other stews, and the Canal du Midi for lazy boat trips. Southwest France with its own distinct character.